Saturday night Champers

It's Saturday night and we are both in need of a pick me up, we nipped into Bob's to pick up a new corkscrew because somehow we have no decent ones in the house.  

What better to pick us up than a bottle of Fizz.  We are trying to try new fizz apart from the old favourites of Pol Roger and Louis Roederer.  Tonight on Rob's recommendation we are on Lallier.

Name        Lallier grand reserve grand cru

Vintage      NV

Country      France

Region       Champagne

Grape         Pinot noir from Ay (65%), Chardonnay from Avize and Cremant (35%)

% Alc        12.5%

Price         £25.00

Source      Hoults

Low dosage yet sweetish, this is a super enjoyable champagne. Of note is it's freshness, reminding me of seaside air in a strange way. Not sharply acidic, but with attractive lemon and apple, and the classic brioche finish. Length is a feature of note. Not super-fine Bollinger (or Krug!) bubbles but persistent, a good foam in the glass. V nice at £25, when the grand marques on offer started at around £27. Should be noted that Rob is super competitive on his champagnes, and is often the winner when a need for fizz arises. Think this would be wicked with oysters. 

Friday Fizz

The Yorkshire lass enjoys fizz very much, as do I.  It seems a perfect way to celebrate the coming of the weekend.

As the budget does not stretch to premium champagne, a Friday fallback is required.  

Name         Undurraga Brut 

Vintage      NV

Country     Chile

Region       Maipo Valley

Grape         Chardonnay / Pinot Noir

% Alc        12.5%   

Price          £9.99 (Buy 2 - £6.99 each) 

Source       Majestic Wine

It's pretty much demi, rather than the Brut it claims to be, and ain't that far from being an Asti. Don't take it wrong though, it makes it ideal breakfast / warm up wine, the bubbles are pleasingly persistent, and it's pretty compelling and drinkable. It's pretty childish, fun, tastes of zesty sweets, with a hit of apple acid balancing out the tutti frutti.

Given, it's not got style, class, elegance, but then it is around a fiver, for Friday fizz. A nice change to a steely cheap mouth stripping Cava, and more straightforward than a Cremant. A place for everything, and everything in its place.